Social Networking in Education Wiki
Welcome to Social Networking in Education This page was initially created by the following students in EPS 415: Information Technology Ethics at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign: Jenna Berzy, Melanie Donnahee, Justin Franzen, KiLee Lidwell, Ana Peso, Katy Plechaty, Amanda Ross, Tyler Walls ' We recognize the ongoing evolution of social networking technologies as well as the field of education and welcome further contributions to this resource. Introduction Social networking websites have become increasingly integrated into the way many people today act, think, and relate to each other. Social networking has a multitude of implications for the field of education and these impact students, educators, administrators, and parents alike. We will address the challenges and opportunities offered by these sites and analyze how social networking sites can be utilized to further students' academic and personal development, particularly in the context of an ever-changing globalized society. thumb|300px|left|What is Social Networking? Opportunities and Challenges of Social Networking Sites Positive Aspects of Social Networking Connection and Access The primary function of social networking sites is to provide ways for an individual to make connections with others. Some common connections include (but are by no means limited to): *Sharing interests and goals with current friends *Maintaining contact with friends in different cities, states, and even countries. *Finding old friends and former classmates *Furthering professional development *Debating or advocating for political, environmental, ethical, and religious issues Different social networking sites fill one or more niches to promote connection. For example, LinkedIn promotes professional development and SparkPeople creates a community dedicated to healthy living; furthermore, a site like Ning allows members to create user-designed social networks based on varying topics of interest. These sites can be a way for individuals to connect with people that they may not have had access to before. In the context of education, social networking sites offer a student the opportunity to network with other students, educators, administrators, alumni, both within and outside their current institution. ' ''Increased Awareness' Social networking sites have created a new social dimension where individuals can develop increased levels of awareness. Interacting with these sites, students can become more globally knowledgeable, tech-savvy, and even more self aware. The Digital Youth Project study, conducted at the University of Southern California and the University of California at Berkeley, found that "that the digital world is creating new opportunities for young people to grapple with social norms, explore interests, develop technical skills and work on new forms of self-expression." http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2009/jan/28/social-networking-benefits-validated/ Young people in particular may also benefit from social networking databases such as YouTube. An article analyzing the research of the Digital Youth Project and psychology professor Dr. Brendesha M. Tynes focuses on the potential benefits to increased access to different media outlets, including social networking. "Educationally, the strongest point made by Tynes is that users of the social networks are more globally aware since they have immediate access to global issues, and the chance to read about global events from people in those settings," said Dr. Jane Elmes-Crahall, professor of communication studies. "That means at least on the surface, today's media-savvy young people know world events. And, emotionally, they can be moved to be caring."http://www.wilkesbeacon.com/news/online-social-networking-benefits-youth-study-says-1.826458 Although some argue that students tend to ignore hard-hitting news in favor of the superficial, students are inevitably, if passively, exposed to these issues via social networking. For example, a politically disinterested student may not have any level of interest in or knowledge of the recent elections in Iran, but chances are he's noticed a few of his Twitter friends now have green overlays over their personal avatars. If he has the impulse to Google "green overlay Twitter", he'll find a website that explains that the overlays are meant to support democracy in the election, as well as a link to more information about what is happening currently in Iran.http://helpiranelection.com/ For a student in a rural district, having access to social networking sites with millions of users from around the world can help her access a diversity of ideas and opinions that she may never known existed In addition, by creating a public image, students are exposed to the challenge of defining themselves. With most sites, users must create a profile which exposes various parts of their personal identity: likes and dislikes, their membership in different groups, ideas they support, etc. Sites are visibly, in varying degrees, to peers, parents, teachers, future employers, and the public at large. Students who are conscious of this exposure are able to evaluate which information they feel is appropriate to reveal. At the same time, most social networking profiles allow for easy editing, allowing a student the flexibility to reevaluate her priorities and understand that her interests and goals are not necessarily permanent reflections of her being. 'Publicity and Advertising' Some social networking sites allow their members to publicize events, movements, or products. When an individual creates a notice on Facebook for an upcoming Halloween party, he is advertising. The same applies to the small business which pays $5 for 10,000 "hits" for an ad promoting their grand opening, or a larger corporation paying more for increased hits. Social networking sites provide an advertising medium for students, extracurricular clubs, Greek chapters, sports teams, musicians, and large-scale companies alike. Advertising and publicity help generate revenue for the site itself, while also enabling users to efficiently 'get the word out'. There are significant benefits to advertising on social networking sites. Everyone has equal access to some forms of publicity on the site; Many sites, including Facebook and MySpace, allow individuals to create events or fan pages (promoting causes, musicians, artists, politicians, etc.) for free. Even for paid publicity, it is often significantly cheaper to employ online social networking strategies than to pay for advertising. For example, Facebook's advertises itself as a way for companies to 'reach the exact audience they want through targeted advertising.http://www.facebook.com/advertising/Using information a user provides on his profiles, advertisers provide 'personalized' ads on his profile page. 'It’s Who You Know ''' When an individual socializes, whether in person or online, she meets and develops relationships with others. Social networking sites help further these relationships, while also making the next step- meeting the people your new friends/colleages/acquaintances/followers know- more easily. This is especially true in the area of professional development; knowing 'people who know people' is essential to moving up the ladder. If Jim meets someone who works at an organization he is interested in, he can use this new acquaintance to gain 'insider knowledge' about the company, and potentially use him as a reference. Lisa Tripp, an assistant professor at Florida State University, says technology creates avenues for extending one's circle of friends, boosts self-directed learning and fosters independence. "Certain technical skills in the coming years are not going to be just about consuming media," she says. "It is also going to be about producing media. It is not just about writing a blog, but also how to leave comments that say something. Learning to communicate like this is contributing to the general circulation of culture."http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2009/jan/28/social-networking-benefits-validated/ Being able to use social networking sites can be invaluable in the workplace; students with this background knowledge will have a greater ability to network professionally and personally. In the following IBM commercial, the employee boasts that he has 862 friends, but his manager needs a team with a specific skill set. Without being able to utilize social networking websites to network in an effective way to connect with relevant individuals, he cannot get ahead in the workplace. thumb|300px|left|Social Networking at Work Challenges of Social Networking sites While we support social networking sites as valid resources for students, educators and administrators, we must acknowledge that social networking technology comes as a mixed blessing. Privacy Facebook, the archetypal social networking website, is now open to anyone with an email address and draws people of every age, ethnicity, income level, and . As of 2009, there are over 200 million individuals with Facebook accounts, and half log in to the site at least once a day. With so many users, it is no surprise that the primary concerns of many users relate to privacy issues. In a January 2008 interview with Barbara Walters Mark Zuckerberg (one of the creators of Facebook) stated, “the money to pay the four hundred Facebook employees has to come from somewhere.” He was defending the use personal information presented by members of Facebook for data analysis, marketing, and creating endorsement ads. On personal profiles, Facebook users voluntarily list personal details from the more mundane (favorite TV shows) to the more (address, phone number, etc.). How private is the information that users place on sites like Facebook? Who has access to the information and what is it used for? http://web.pacific.edu/x4989.xml More discussion on privacy issues recently presented in the article: 'Facebook Suicide' Only Way Out for Some Web Addicts Thursday, September 27, 2007, By Emma Justice, http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,298166,00.htm "Self-disclosure can indeed be a problem on the Internet," said Axtell. "The fact that you can't see or hear other people makes it easier to reveal yourself in a way you might not be comfortable with. You become less conscious of the individuals involved (including yourself), less inhibited, less embarrassed and less concerned about how you will be evaluated." "Once you realize that things have become too personal, you'll feel vulnerable — who wants everyone to know what you did on the weekend?" Axtell added. "Logging off becomes the only way to recover privacy." Martin Cloake, 42, a sports copywriter from South London, said he left his Facebook life a few months ago because he also felt uncomfortable about putting his private life on public display. l FRIENDSHIP 1) untrustworthy member data 2) stalkers and other unwanted activity Many people claim that social networking sites are a great way to find old friends, not only make new ones, but is this always a good thing? More discussion presented in the article: 'Facebook Suicide' Only Way Out for Some Web Addicts Thursday, September 27, 2007, By Emma Justice, http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,298166,00.htm “There more serious psychological issues that could be triggered by reconnecting with old friends or flames? Should the ghosts of the past remain just that? Over a lifetime it's normal to lose touch with people as interests and circumstances change, but Facebook may alter the natural ebb and flow of friendship." Renewing old ties in this way can feel false," said Andrew G. Marshall, a marital therapist and the author of the recently published "I Love You But I'm Not In Love With You." "Generally, people have just a handful of really close friends. If you feel the need to get in touch with someone from the past, you have to ask yourself why you do," Marshall added. "It could be indicative of a problem or unhappiness in your current self and, therefore, a desire to reconnect with a younger one. But once people realize this is not a solution, they'll leave and try to solve them another way." Hodson agreed. "The idea of renewing old friendships is appealing, but it doesn't come without difficulties and dangers," he said. "You may still be lusting after the girl in 3B, but is she lusting after you? "If you were bullied at school and suddenly the bully asks to be your 'friend,' all those bad feelings and insecurities you felt as a 10-year-old could come flooding back." Patricia Rogers, a counselor and fellow of the BACP, even worries that the same feelings that lead to "Facebook suicide" could trigger the loneliness and lack of self-esteem felt by people who really do take their own lives. "It could be incredibly damaging for the ego to realize that you haven't got as many friends as you thought you had, or that those friends aren't particularly meaningful," she said. "Comparing yourself with others, a big preoccupation on sites such as Facebook, can be damaging psychologically. So, as a precaution, I think that people who leave should be carefully monitored, or at least checked up on, and then referred to counseling resources if necessary. TIME 1)hard to get out of certain social networks once you have committed 2) plateau or social network fatigue: this started out really big, but usage is now starting to slow down 3) loss in workplace productivity: don’t make your boss upset! 4) takes too much time out of your day According to Facebook, users spend an average of 20 minutes a day on the site, although a survey by the British price-comparison Web site uSwitch.com found that some people spend more than 10 hours a week on social-networking sites, the equivalent of 24 days a year. Think of how many pub lunches with real friends could be enjoyed in that time. A GROWING number of young Australians are becoming addicted to online social networking, according to a new study Naked Communications digital strategist and recent Monash University graduate, Julian Cole, uncovered the trend as part of his research into the use of social networking sites such as Facebook and MySpace. "It's very bizarre. With a lot of other addictions people tend to hide it, but because it's such a common thing it's not hidden and people talk about it more," Mr Cole said. According to Mr Cole, warning signs of possible social networking addiction included frequently visiting the site for longer than intended, experiencing negative psychological or physical effects when the activity wasn't available, and scheduling other activities around online time. http://www.news.com.au/story/0,23599,22705712-2,00.html MISUNDERSTANDING 1) you cannot visually see who you are talking to 2) fraudulent responses 3) language barriers 4) difficult to monetize Discussion recently presented in the article: 'Facebook Suicide' Only Way Out for Some Web Addicts Thursday, September 27, 2007, By Emma Justice, http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,298166,00.htm "There are a limited set of cues available on sites like this," Axtell explained. "You don't get the subtleties of voice tone, facial expressions or body language you usually have when interacting with others, and that can make interpreting the meaning of messages difficult." "You can write something flippantly, which others take seriously, or come across as aggressive when that's not your intention at all," she added. "I can see how relationships can be damaged as a result, and when that happens, people will want to leave to put things right." Matt Holme, 24, a derivatives broker from West London, said he wrote his Facebook suicide note after he saw pictures of himself online which he didn't even realize had been taken. "When I was introduced to friends of friends, they'd recognize me from my profile on Facebook," said Holme. "I no longer had any anonymity and that was disconcerting." Phillip Hodson, a fellow of the British Association for Counseling and Psychotherapy (BACP), said disappointment may be an inevitable part of social networking online. "Building a Facebook profile is one way that individuals can identify themselves, making them feel important and accepted," he said. "But this can lead to disappointment once people realize how insignificant their online existence really is. Not only are online friends not necessarily real friends, they can turn out to be people you don't wish to know at all." http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,298166,00.html 1. Challenges *you cannot visually see who you are talking to *fraudulent responses *language barriers *difficult to monetize *excess of players *as marketers move in, some users move out *untrustworthy member data *stalkers and other unwanted activity *privacy concerns *hard to get out of certain social networks once you have committed *plateau or social network fatigue: this started out really big, but usage is now starting to slow down *loss in workplace productivity: don’t make your boss upset! *takes too much time out of your day 2. Opportunities *staying in touch with relatives and friends *easy access *somewhat of an easier way to connect with other people *meet people with the same hobbies and characteristics as yourself *using twitter, etc allow connections with people all over the globe *you have the control as the user *great for job hunting and professional networking *gives the user the ability to self-market Category:Browse